Ballot-box



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD Q. NORTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BALLOT- BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,105, dated MayApplication filed March 5, 1880. (Model.)'

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Q. NORTON, of Cleveland. in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin BallotBoXes; and I do i hereby declare that the following is a fulland exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has for its object certain novel improvements in theconstruction of ballotboxes, designed to prevent fraud or imposition inconducting any election where choice of candidates is decided by votingor casting ballots. I have designed to provide a ballotboX which willprevent effectually more than one vote being deposited by a singleperson, and also to so preserve the ballots sealedwithin the box thatthey can be counted and recounted any number of times in case ofdispute.

In order that persons skilled in the art may know how to make and use myballot-box, I will now fully describe the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a perspectiveview of my ballot-box with the cover thrown back ready for balloting;Fig. 2, a perspective view of the saine with the springs raised and thecover closedand locked; and Fig. 3, a sectional view of my ballot-box,showing its interior arrangement.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

A A are rolls or drums, upon which a strip of paper or other suitablematerial is wound. B is a crank, which can be attached to the shaft ofeither A or A for the purpose of winding the strip upon either roll. 'CC are rolls over which the strip passes for the purpose of maintaining asmooth and even tension upon the same. D D D are supports holding thearched sheet of metal E, over which the strip from the rolls passes whenbeing wound from one roll to the other.

F is an arched sliding cover fitting in grooves in the arched sides ofthe top of the box and movable back and forth within the grooves. G is acurved glass front permanently aflixed to the sides of the box, so as tobe under the arched sliding cover. H is a spring-presser, so arranged,as shown, that it will rest upon the strip of paper or other suitablematerial as it passes over the arched metallic support E,

I is a rubber roller, also resting upon the strip a, and held -byspring-pressure. The strip has at regular intervals upon its surfaceadhesive substance in lines, so that a folded ballot, being placed uponthe strip, Will adhere to it by one of its edges, and, passing under thespring-presser H, will be unfolded as it passes from sight under thecover F, the roller I pressingit down upon the adhesive substance andcausing it to be permanently aflxed to the strip. The crank B is turnedto accomplish this, and when the balloting is completedI the springs Hand I, with their appurtenances, can be raised, the cover F moved overupon the open side and locked and sealed, as shown, on the opposite sideat J. The box is then secure against any tampering, and by reversing thehandle or crank B and winding back the strip upon the drum A each ballotcan be seen and counted as it passes, secure from molestation, under theglass G.

The box can be constructed in any substantial manner desired, and, asthe ballots are not handled after they are cast, a much greater securityfrom fraud is obtained than by any other method, and any dispute as tothe counting can be easily overcome by turnin g the crank and recountingthe vot-es.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a ballot-box, the combination, with the paper strip a, constructedas described, of the spring H, rubber roller I, and arched metallicsupport E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a boX for balloting, the rolls A A', crank B, continuous strip a,cover F, glass G, and spring devices H and I, as and for the purposesset forth and described.

3. In a ballot-box, the combination of the curved glass top G and thecurved sliding cover F, moving in grooves and operating l IOO

